VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Christian Gage Puente of Virginia Beach was sentenced on Thursday to 248 months, or just over 20 years, in prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and "possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime", according to the Department of Justice.
According to court documents, on October 13, 2021, 29-year-old Christian Gage Puente and his coconspirator, 25-year-old Carlos Santos-Navarro distributed just under 8 kilograms of methamphetamine to 43-year-old Candice Rountree and 42-year-old Alidavid Williams, both from Virginia Beach, at a hotel on Crossways Boulevard in Chesapeake.
Later that same day, Virginia Beach Police officers conducted a traffic stop of Rountree’s vehicle. Both Williams and Rountree were traveling on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach.
During the stop, Williams attempted to run, resulting in Rountree’s vehicle rolling backward, pinning a Virginia Beach Police detective between Rountree’s Dodge Ram pickup truck and a police vehicle and seriously injuring the officer's right leg.
Detectives with the Virginia Beach Police Department and special agents and task force officers with Homeland Security Investigations discovered the distributed drugs during a search of Rountree’s vehicle following the traffic stop.
The following day when Puente and Santos-Navarro arrived at a hotel at 2900 Shore Drive in Virginia Beach to collect the cash from the sale of methamphetamine, they were met by Virginia Beach law enforcement.
When the two saw approaching officers, Puente tossed a loaded caliber .38 Special revolver into a bush. Puente then fought with the officers while he was being detained.
After he was placed in handcuffs, the police found $4,725 in cash on Puente. During a search of Santos-Navarro’s person, the police discovered a loaded 9mm pistol.
Officers searched Puente's vehicle and found a shoebox containing approximately 890 grams of methamphetamine and a digital scale.
Co-defendants Candice Rountree and Alidavid Williams pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and were sentenced to 36 months and 200 months in prison respectively. Co-defendant Carlos Santos-Navarro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 180 months.
